Beacon's Dr. Tim Kremchek Featured in theScore

August 17, 2023

Dr. Kremchek ranks sixth all-time in Tommy John surgeries on professional baseball players

Beacon Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine co-founder Tim Kremchek, M.D., a recognized expert in Tommy John elbow surgery, is featured in a recent story written by sports news website theScore.com.

The story – ‘Living in an MRI world’: The art and science of imaging and diagnosis – provides a compelling behind-the-scenes journey through the process Dr. Kremchek and Beacon utilize in performing the Tommy John procedure.

“I was here to understand the art and science of imaging,” reporter Travis Sawchik wrote in the story.

Following is an excerpt of the story:

Kremchek doesn’t look like he’s performing multiple Tommy John surgeries a day, among other procedures, but he is. He tells us he wants athletes to feel comfortable when they enter here; that’s part of the reason for his business-casual appearance when greeting folks.

It’s also why the place doesn’t feel sterile like a typical hospital or doctor’s office. The lobby features vaulted ceilings. Adorning the walls are paintings and photos of Reds greats and some signed jerseys. Kremchek joked that if things ever go south here, he’ll turn the place into a sports bar.

From the lobby, there are corridors to different departments: there’s the wing of operating and recovery rooms; a rehabilitation center; and, of course, a radiology department. Alongside one corridor is an indoor pitching mound.

The facility was designed to diagnose, treat, and rehab Reds players under one roof. Kremchek, who’s served the Reds and their affiliates for 27 years, believes a fully integrated facility is incredibly important.

The story also reports a stunning statistic: Based on Joe Roegele’s Tommy John database, Dr. Kremchek ranks sixth all-time on the number of Tommy John surgeries administered to professional baseball players. By his own count, Dr. Kremchek estimates he has performed nearly 3,000 Tommy John elbow surgeries on professional and amateur athletes.

The all-time leader in Tommy John surgeries happens to be Dr. Kremchek’s mentor, Dr. James Andrews of the Andrews Institute of Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine.

Early in his career, Dr. Kremchek served a one-year Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Fellowship under Dr. Andrews.

“At the time, Jim Andrews was taking sports medicine to a whole new level,” Dr. Kremchek said. “Through mentoring me, Dr. Andrews gave me the vision of what I could be.”

Dr. Kremchek has also been recognized as one of the top baseball surgeons in the nation by Bleacher Report.

Over the last 27 years, Dr. Kremchek has treated and performed surgery on hundreds of professional, collegiate, and high school athletes.

Here are just a few of the professional athletes he has treated over the years:

Chris Bassitt of the Toronto Blue Jays.
Former Reds slugger Ken Griffey, Jr.
Former Reds shortstop Barry Larkin.
Former Atlanta Braves Pitchers Steve Avery, Mark Wohlers and Denny Neagle.
Former Reds third baseman Aaron Boone, who of course now manages the Yankees.
Two members of the Vanderbilt Commodores who played in the 2019 College World Series finals.
San Diego hurler Mike Clevinger.
The Nationals’ Daniel Murphy.
Pitchers Alexis Diaz, Edizon Volquez, Damaso Marte and Michael Pineda.
Purdue basketball player Mason Gillis, who was treated while in high school.
Diamondbacks outfielder David Peralta and pitcher Joe Mantiply.